'We saw panic, people running towards us, women and children crying’: Limerick man in Liverpool

A HUGE Liverpool fan from County Limerick, who travelled to England to witness the Premier League victory parade, has told Limerick Live of the distressing scenes he witnessed after a car ploughed into the crowds. 

Eugene O’Connor and friends brought supporters into their rented apartment for their safety due to the chaos on Water Street in Liverpool.

Four children were among around 50 people injured after a car rammed into fans during a Premier League victory parade in the city, with one child seriously hurt.

Up to one million people had lined the streets to celebrate the Arne Slot-managed team as they moved through the city centre with the Premier League trophy on an open-top bus.

Eugene said the shocking incident happened right outside an apartment he and friends had rented.

“We decided to walk up the next street and cut across an alley over to Water Street because of the crowd as it was just after the parade finished. We didn’t see it happening, we arrived on 30 seconds later. 

“We were 20 metres from Water Street. We saw the panic, people running towards us, women and children crying. We asked what happened and they told us someone ploughed through the crowd,” said Eugene, from Kildimo.

READ MORE: Vows to give gardaí 'whatever they want' to tackle ongoing feuds in Limerick

The musician who performs with popular wedding and party band Escapade said they had to try and get into their apartment before the area was closed off. 

“There were people in the hallway, shocked and a few were pepper sprayed by police trying to protect the driver from the crowd who intervened. We brought a few people into our apartment for a few hours until things calmed down a bit. The city was crazy, I’ve never seen it so busy, all phones were jammed,” said Eugene.

One of his friends saw people trying to get the driver out of the car while the police were trying to protect him.

“He saw some badly-injured people on the street and is pretty shook after it. It was a horrible end to an amazing day,” said Eugene (pictured below on the left on a happier occasion at Liverpool's final league game against Crystal Palace).

Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service said four people who were trapped under the car, including a child, were rescued by firefighters.

At a press conference last night, Dave Kitchin from North West Ambulance Service, said 27 people were taken to hospital and 20 people were treated at the scene, with four children among the injured.

He said two of those taken to hospital, including one of the children, suffered serious injuries.